1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides a food composition having meat-like texture, which can be used as a substitute for protein food materials such as meat.
2. Background Art
Among existing food materials for substituting meat (substitute meat), products comprising vegetable proteins such as soybean proteins are mainly used. The protein contents in substitute meat products comprising vegetable proteins are comparable to those of meat materials. In addition, soybean proteins have particular taste that is different from those of animal proteins. Therefore, in order to obtain meat substitute products, it is necessary to make attempts to flavor a food product comprising soybean proteins.
Meanwhile, it is necessary for kidney disease patients to eat low protein food. Also, it is necessary for metabolic syndrome or diabetes patients to eat low-energy food. Kidney disease patients undergo strict protein intake restriction. In addition, it is necessary for them to gain sufficient energy from meals. Advanced kidney disease patients need to receive dialysis treatment, which is highly expensive. For such reason, the early detection and treatment of kidney diseases have been promoted nationwide. In view of the above, it is predicted that the number of patients under dietary restriction will steadily increase. For such various types of food, substitute meat materials having no particular taste that can be readily controlled in terms of protein amount and energy have been awaited.
JP Patent No. 3222439 B (Patent Document 1) discloses a processed minced meat product containing flaked mannan gel, fat or oil, saccharide, and minced meat (15% to 40%). JP Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 7-79640 B (1995) (Patent Document 2) discloses a processed meat food product prepared with konjac. JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-327265 A (Patent Document 3) discloses a processed beef product containing ι (iota)-carrageenan. In the case of techniques disclosed in the above documents, it is necessary to add meat, which is a protein source, and this results in failures to achieve significant reduction in protein intake.
Konjac is a well-known low-calorie food material. A variety of food materials containing konjac mannan gel have been developed. JP Patent No. 3637852 B (Patent Document 4) discloses a method for producing a konjac food that comprises: partially swelling a konjac raw material containing konjac glucomannan with an aqueous solution containing a polysaccharide comprising three or more monosaccharide units, selected from the group consisting of dextrine, indigestible dextrine, starch, soluble starch, and pectine in a manner such that konjac glucomannan particles remain in the material; and solidifying the material with the addition of an alkaline agent. JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 4-94664 A (1992) (Patent Document 5) discloses a method for producing a dried food material which comprises: kneading a product obtained by swelling a purified konjac powder with water, a cellulose-starch complex, and gelatinized starch; carrying out alkali treatment and heat treatment to obtain gel products; coupling the products; and drying the resultant. JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 62-259550 A (1987) (Patent Document 6) discloses a dried gel mainly consisting of starch and konjac mannan. JP Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 62-55052 A (1987) (Patent Document 7) discloses a method for producing dried konjac that comprises a konjac production step of adding starch and the like to konjac root or konjac mannan, kneading the resulting product, and allowing the product to gel by a conventional method. However, all techniques disclosed in Patent Documents 4 to 7 are intended to modify a konjac food or provide a boiled-rice-like food material. Therefore, it is impossible to produce meat substitute by the above methods.